


Drinks with a Friend

by csichick_2



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Gen, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-02
Updated: 2014-10-02
Packaged: 2018-02-19 13:44:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2390519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/csichick_2/pseuds/csichick_2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the case, Barba needs a drink.  He's not the only one.  Post-ep for "Jersey Breakdown."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Drinks with a Friend

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GreenPhoenix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenPhoenix/gifts).



Rafael is nursing his third drink of the night, when someone sits down on the barstool next to his. He’s about to politely ask to be left alone when he realizes that it’s Connie. “Still glad you moved back to New York?” he asks her as he signals the bartender over.

“There’s nowhere I’d rather be,” she replies, before ordering a drink. “Even with today’s clusterfuck.”

“I’m pretty sure clusterfuck is an understatement,” he replies, ordering another drink even though he’s only halfway through his current one.

Connie raises an eyebrow. “You’re going to pleasant at work tomorrow.”

Rafael snorts. “No different than usual.”

Connie snickers. “We both know you play tough, but you’re really a big softie.”

“A closely guarded secret,” he replies with a smirk. “Can’t have just anyone knowing that.”

Connie smirks back. “Well I think SVU is on to you. Same with Claire – that poor girl, what she’s been through the past few days.”

“Do you think your office can do anything?” he asks her suddenly. “About Knollwood. Jersey’s too corrupt to do anything and it’s out of my jurisdiction.”

“Technically, we probably can. Though honestly, the prison system isn’t going to be a priority.”

Rafael frowns. “That’s what I was afraid of. The only people that care are the ones that can’t make decisions.”

Connie shakes her head. “You know it’s not quite that simple, Rafael. Though inmates are never going to be top priority.”

“I know,” Rafael says with a sigh. “It’s just this case gets to me more than others too.”

“Because they took a victim and treated her like garbage,” Connie says softly. “I never thought I’d miss murder cases. At least then I knew the victim was no longer suffering.”

“To anyone else that would be incredibly morbid, but I know what you mean,” he replies. “Do you think she’ll turn out okay, considering?”

“Claire Wilson? The odds are against her – the odds are against most of these victims. But I think she has a fighting chance – the right people caught her case.”

“You can say that again. Most other cops would have dropped it when Hudson County arrested her.”

“And not every DA would have cared enough to get her back and literally have it turned into a federal case,” Connie points out.

“Well we all have the legacy Jack McCoy left behind to live up to,” he replies.

Connie laughs. “I don’t think any of us can live up to Jack. He was literally one of a kind. You never worked directly under him, did you?”

Rafael shakes his head. “He stepped down about a year before I transferred over from Brooklyn. And given the current shit storm across the river, I got out just in side.

Connie smirks. “Well after today there’s a shit storm across both rivers.”

“You do have a point. And I’m not sure which once worse.”

“You know I think I have an idea,” Connie says, finishing off her drink. “About Knollwood.”

“Oh do share,” he replies leaning forward.

“We’ve been thinking about Knollwood as part of what’s wrong with the prison system. What if instead we treat is as part of Masconi’s crimes?”

“Will that work?” he asks her.

“It will depend on what he find in the records of the other judges,” she replies. “But I doubt Dolan was the only sending an excessively high percentage of cases up there. And all those cases are going to have to be re-evaluated. And if we’re lucky, enough girls will get yanked out of Knollwood to expose what they’re up to.”

“I’d offer to help, but there’s that whole thing called jurisdiction,” Rafael replies. “Do you want another drink?”

“Do I, yes. Should I, no. Not with the paperwork nightmare that’s going to be waiting for me in the office.”

“But paperwork nightmares are perfectly valid reasons to get smashed,” he responds.

“Yeah, afterwards,” she says wryly. “Not before they get started.”

“Well then once you’re done, we can go out and get completely wasted,” he says.

“Do I need to get that in writing?” Connie asks teasingly. “This one might take several months.”

Rafael pulls a pen out of his jacket pocket and scribbles something on a bar napkin. “I always honor my deals, but just in case,” he teases her back. “It was nice to have a friendly face in the U.S. Attorney’s office on this one. Most everyone else would have cut the locals out.”

“Well Claire’s rape never did stop being your case. Our task force cares more about the larger picture than one case, but I wasn’t about to let that girl fall through the cracks.”

“You the one that makes your bosses complain they have headaches, aren’t you?”

Connie smirks. “Well I did learn from the best. Every headache Jack got after getting the big office was karma.”

“Just remember that when someday you’re complaining about someone that keeps giving you headaches.”

“Yes, yes, I know. Karma’s a bitch and all that. And I have a feeling I should be reminding you the same thing.”

Rafael laughs. “The days someone stops complaining that I give them headaches, is the day I should quit because it means I’ll have lost my touch.”

“Or you got promoted to a position where you can’t cause as many headaches,” Connie points out.

“I would have a few choice words to say about that, but I don’t want to jinx it.”

Connie snickers. “Well just remember Jack and Mike weren’t expecting their promotions either.”

Rafael groans. “Really not helping Connie.”

“Well I can’t go easy on you, can I?”

Rafael shakes his head. “Why am I friends with you again?”

“Because you love me and I keep you on your toes,” she replies sweetly. “And I should probably head home so I can get an early start on that paperwork nightmare in the morning.”

Rafael calls the bartender over to settle his tab. “I should probably get going too. Want to share a cab since we’re going the same general direction anyway?”

“Sounds great. And I’m not going to let you forget about that promise to get me drunk when this is all over at my end.”

He smiles at her as they head outside. “I’d expect nothing less.”


End file.
